Call for Papers: Conference on Weather Analysis and Forecasting & Conference on Numerical Weather Prediction

The 34th Conference on Weather Analysis and Forecasting and the 30th Conference on Numerical Weather Prediction solicit papers and posters from the research and operational weather forecasting communities. We encourage participants to consider how their work contributes to advancing the field through innovation, collaboration, and enhanced societal impact.

Submissions are invited on a broad range of topics, including but not limited to:

Weather Analysis and Forecasting

• Fundamental Forecasting Techniques: Advancements in forecasting across weather scales, including topic-specific forecast techniques (aviation, fire weather, etc.). 
• New Observational Capabilities: Innovations facilitated by new observational platforms, including satellite, radar, and in-situ data.
• Societal Impacts and Communication: The effects of weather on society, infrastructure, public health, and the economy, with a focus on impact-based decision support services and effective communication of uncertainty.
• Research to Operations (R2O): Activities in testbeds, proving grounds, and other collaborative efforts to transition research to operational use.
• Specific Weather Phenomena: Analysis and forecasting of high-impact weather, including severe storms, atmospheric rivers, winter weather, and tropical systems.
• Community Proposed Topics:
  • Extreme rainfall: processes and prediction
  • WFIP3 field campaign

Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP)

• Advances in Data Assimilation Techniques
• Model Development and Improvement: Updates on global and regional models, new parameterizations, and approaches to improve model efficiency and performance.
• Data Assimilation: Advancements in data assimilation methodology and the assimilation of new and existing observational datasets.
• Probabilistic Forecasting and Ensembles: New techniques for generating ensembles, communicating forecast uncertainty, and evaluating probabilistic forecasts.
• High-Performance Computing (HPC) & NWP: The role of HPC in advancing model resolution and complexity.
• Community Modeling: Development and application of community models and frameworks that support a collaborative approach to earth system prediction.
• Model Verification and Evaluation: New methods and metrics for verifying forecast performance and model skill.
• Community Proposed Topics:
  • Advances in Quantum Computing towards Atmospheric Modeling and Observation

Joint Sessions

• Joint with AI Conference:
  • Testing, Metrics, and Validation of Artificial Intelligence for Numerical Weather Prediction (AI4NWP) 
  • AI for Data Assimilation
• Joint with Severe Local Storms:
  • Community Modeling Efforts at Convection-Allowing Scales
  • Forecasting Severe Weather Outbreaks across Timescales
• Joint with Severe Local Storms / AI Conference:
  • Joint Panel: Best Practices for AI Integration into Weather Forecast Operations

Community Proposed Topics

We welcome submissions on the full range of topics listed above. We also encourage proposals on emerging and cross-cutting subjects that blend WAF/NWP with other fields, such as:

• Weather Analysis and Forecasting:
  • Extreme rainfall: processes and prediction
  • WFIP3 field campaign
• Numerical Weather Prediction:
  • Advances in Quantum Computing towards Atmospheric Modeling and Observation

Papers will be organized into sessions based on the submissions received. Submissions from students and early career scientists are highly encouraged, and three student travel awards will be made available with more details on the application process to be announced soon. 

Monetary awards will be given for the best oral and poster presentations by student presenters. Registrants should indicate their eligibility for student awards when submitting their abstracts. We are in the process of planning special events for students in coordination with the Board on Student Affairs.

Weather Analysis and Forecasting / Numerical Weather Prediction Conference Student Travel Grant Awards

Student presentations selected as part of the 34WAF/30NWP conferences have the option of being judged, with a $50 award going to the top 3 oral and poster presentations in each conference (12 awards total). Also, once abstracts have been submitted, the WAF/NWP committee will offer three $375 travel grants to students whose abstracts have been accepted.

Students who wish to be considered for a travel grant must send the following documents to the program chairs ([email protected], [email protected], [email protected], and [email protected]) no later than Friday, April 3rd, 2026:

• Statement of why they wish to attend the WAF/NWP conferences
• Statement of commitment to attend if they receive the travel grant
• Letter of support from their advisor
• Ensure that you have submitted an abstract to the WAF or NWP conferences before the abstract submission deadline